Swivel for electrical appliances.



A. A. LOW & H. HERTZBERG.

SWIVEL ECE ELECTEICAL APPLIANCES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1907.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

Unire srafrns rafrnnr onirica.

ABBOT A. LOW, OF HORSESHOE, AND HARRY HERTZBERG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y'., ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ECONOMY ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BROOK- LYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

vSWIVEL FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application ined may 4, 1907. serial No. sumaspeCtiVely, have invented a certain new and useful Swivel for Electrical Appliances, ol which the following is a speciiication.

This invention is a sw1vel for use in connection ywith different kinds of electrical devices, such as curling irons.

In the operation of various electrical devices or appliances adapted to be supplied with an electrical current by flexible wires or a cord leading from a socket or other device in a circuit, there is a tendency of the wires to become twistedto such an extent as to strain and break the leading-in'wires which areusually inclosed within the aforesaid device. More particularly is this true in the case of devices, such as curling irons, having inclosed electrical resistances each composed oi a metallic Wire or ribbon; and should the device be rotated in one direction for an indefinite number of times, vthe operation of twistin the leading-in wires will tend to break t e resistancewire or ribbon.

One object of this invention is to overcome the foregoing objections and to enable the current to be su plieduninterru tedly to the device or app iance in order t at it may be used and manipulated with ease and freedom.

In the accompanyin drawings, we have illustrated one ractica .embodiment of the invention, but t e construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of' the invention.

`Figure l is a side elevation showing :the swivel of this invention in connection with an electrically heated curling iron, a part of the latter being in section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, through the swivel, the plane of the section being. indicated by the dotted line 2-2 of Fig. 3. .Fig Bis a cross section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The swivel shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings consists of the members, A, B, connected together `for free rotation, each member having means for the attachment of a 'plurality'of electrical conductors and means whereby said conductors may be connected in series so that the conductors attached to one member may remain at rest while the conductors attached to the other member may rotate freely withouthaving a tendency to twist or wind on the other conductors. The member, A, is represented as a hollow body having a tubular neck portion, a. Seid body may be composed of any suitable material, such as hard rubber, indurated fiber, or other non-conducting material, and if desired, said body may be com osed of two pieces in order that the severa parts may be assembled quickly and easily. The member, B, is composed likewise4 of non-conducting material, such, as rubber or indurated ber, and it is referably hollow or tubular in order that t 1e leadingein wires may be attached conveniently thereto. In the embodimentof the invention, shown more articularly in Fig. 2, the hollow member, is adapted to serve as an inclosure for the member, B, and to this end it is preferred to construct the member, A, with a chamber, a', which receives the member, vB, and certain other parts of the device. In order that the members, A, B, may rotate freely one upon the other it is preferred to connect them operatively one to the other by ball bearing devices, and, as shown, two pairs of ba races and two sets of ball bearings are ernployed. The ball races, C, C, comprising one pair, are secured to the-inner side ofthe member, A, and the outerside of the member, B, so that theraces are in opposing relation, and in the grooved o posing faces of said races are confined the E c, comprising one set. The other pair of ball races, D, D', are secured to the opposing sur faces of the members, A, B, res ectively, and they receive the bearing balls, s, formin the other set. Theraces and the bearing are composed oi' metal adapted to conduct the electrical current, and the two groups of ball bearing devices support the member, B, within the member, A, in such a waythat either member can rotate freely with res ect to the other \member. With the mem er,

. A, is associated a cord com osed of two strands, E, E', which are em edded in the material com osing the member, A, or are arranged witiiin'the chamber, a', of said member.The wire, E, is connected at one all bearings,

alle

end with the ball race, C, while the other Wire, E', is attached to the other ball-race, D, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, the two Wires being twisted together so as to produce the cord which passes through the tubular neck, a. The wires, F, F', which lead to the device'to be heated extend part way through a longitudinal passage, b, of the member, "B, and said wires are fastened, respectively, to the ball races, C', D.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the swivel is shown as being connected operatively with a handle portion, g, of a pair of curling tongs, or a curling iron, G, adapted to be heated by the passage of an electric current through an electrical resistance (not shown) contained through suitable openings, g, in said handle,

g, so as to pass interiorly thereof. The wires are adapted to be united by a tie-wire, h, and they are bound on the handle, g, by another tie-wire, 7L', thereby minimizing the tendency of the wires to twist one upon the other when the curling tongs are rotated in the operation of winding the hair to be curled and upon the leg Ior legs of said tongs.

The cord formed by the wires, E, E, may. be provided with a-plug whereby said cord is adapted to be connected to a socket of an electric circuit. The current passes from the socket through the wire, E, and the ball race, C, across the balls, c, to the ball race, C',

and thence by the conductor, F,- to the resistance within the curling tongs. The current iiows back through the conductor, li", and the ball race, D', across the balls, d, to the ball race, D, and thence through the conductor, E.

Fromthe foregoing description it will be understood that the current is adapted to be supplied to and conveyed away from a device to be heated without interrupting or breaking the circuit, and furthermore, that the member, B, may rotate freely within the member, A, or said member, A, may turn freely around the member, B, without breaking or interrupting the electrical connection, and without twisting the wires one upon the other. Y

The swivel of this invention is very compact and sim le in construction, it may be manufacture economically, and it may be quickly connected withthe leading wires of the devices or a pliances to which the current is to be supplied.

Althoughweghave shownanddescr'ibed the swivel as being adapted for use inconfnection with an electrically heated curling' tong, it will be understood that the invention may be used in connection with any electrically heated device, such as a sad iron, a soldering iron, a' branding iron or, 1n fact, to 1nstruments or ap hances to which 1t 1s desired to supply e ectrical current without a 1.v An electrical swivel-connection com-V prising two members composed of insulating material, one member being positioned substantially within the other, each memberbeing rotatable freely with respect to the other, a pair-,of annular contacts fixed to one meinber, another pair of annular contacts secured to the other member, and movable contacts coperating with the aforesaid contacts, whereby said contacts coperate in restraining the members from relative endwise movement while affording a continuous path for an electrical current through the swivel connection.

2. An electrical swivel-connection comrising a chambered member having means for the introduction of wirestherein, another member provided with means for the introduction of wires therein, a pair of annular contacts secured within the chambered member, a second pair of annular contacts in4 fixed positions on the external surface of the second member, and rolling contacts coI ating with the aforesaid pairs of contacts 1 restraining the members from relative 'endwise movement while permitting free rotary movement of said members and securing a continuous path for an electric vcurrent through the swivel.

3. An electrical swivel-connection comprising a chambered member provided with wire-receiving openings, annular contacts secured within the chamber of said member, another member provided with wire-receiving openings, ot-her annular contacts iixed to 1 the second named member, and rolling contacts cooperating with said annular contacts for restraining said members from relative endwise movement while permitting free rotative movement of one member relative to the other.

4. An electrical swivel-connection comprising a plurality of members composed of insulating material, annular contacts composed of rigid conducting material and secured to the respective members, said annular contacts opposing each other in pairs, and rolling contacts coperating with the annular contacts for ositively restraining the members from re ative endwise movement while permitting free rotative movement thereo 5. In a device ofthe class described, a plu-l circuit-contacts provided with ball bearin s,

said annular contacts cooperating with t e respective members and with said ball bearms for restraining the members from having re ative endwise movement.

rality of rotatable members, annular all races in opposing relation to each other and secured on the respective members,. bearing balls in said races and coperating therewith in. restraining the members from relative endwise movement, and conductors adapted to `be attached to said races.

7. In a device of the class described, a pluralit),r of members rotatable with respect to each other, a plurality of annular circuitcontacts on one of sald members, another plurality of annular circuit contacts on the other member, and bearing balls coperating with the .aforesaid circuit 'contacts for coupling the two members and restraining them 6. In a device of the class described, a lufrom a relative endwise movement.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ABBOT AL LOW. HARRY HERTZBERG. Witnesses:

JOSEPH F. GARCIER, GEO. WELLING GrDDrNGs. 

